The Official Bob Dylan Thread

[Disco Stu 15,495]

I think Dylan is a fascinating songwriter, performer, and personality..... but are we all ready to admit his harmonica playing is amateurish and often off-putting?

[Naïve Old Fart 9,551]

Probably, but it seems to fit the essentially homespun quality of his songs, and that's not a bad thing.

[mstrox 6,651]

On 5/24/2021 at 6:31 AM, Sweeping Strings said:

A mate and his missus went to see Dylan live, and I met up with them in the pub afterwards ... due to Bob's thing of rearranging the live versions of his songs to the extent that they're unrecognisable, they hated it. Most of the crowd apparently left before the end.   

Personally, I can’t imagine going to a concert (or listening to a live recording) and hoping to hear what already exists on CD.  Part of the fun of live music, for me, is to hear “the live take” on music - especially for artists like Dylan or Bowie whose careers spanned many decades and who never stayed stagnant in a style. 
 

I agree with Richard - Dylan’s harmonica is all part of the general shagginess that has suited his music well over the decades, IMO.

[Disco Stu 15,495]

I think I'm probably just more of a The Band fan and enjoy Dylan most when he's performing with them.  That's the epitome of that "shaggy" (to continue using that word) folk-country-rock sound that I really dig.

 

 

 

[Sweeping Strings 2,363]

There's 'the live take' ... and then there's a tramp-esque Dylan shuffling on to the stage several minutes after the band have started, sidling up to the mic and mumbling mostly incomprehensibly into it for the entire gig. Which was my buddy's experience. 

Invigorating artistic reinterpretation to some, sure. Pretentious self-indulgent shite that insults those who shelled out God knows how much for the tickets to others.   

[Koray Savas 2,251]

2 hours ago, Sweeping Strings said:

There's 'the live take' ... and then there's a tramp-esque Dylan shuffling on to the stage several minutes after the band have started, sidling up to the mic and mumbling mostly incomprehensibly into it for the entire gig. Which was my buddy's experience. 

Invigorating artistic reinterpretation to some, sure. Pretentious self-indulgent shite that insults those who shelled out God knows how much for the tickets to others.   

I’d argue that if you’re enough of a Dylan fan to want to see him live, you’d have expected this type of performance going in.

 

The man has been on a never ending tour for 40+ years. 

[mstrox 6,651]

I think there’s a huge market for the nostalgia crew, and in their defense MOST musicians cater to them.  The Rolling Stones and Billy Joel will always play their biggest hits and it will always sound more or less like the album cut.  If you go and see Whitesnake at the state fairgrounds, it’s going to sound like Whitesnake, y’know?  So if you’re used to that and you’re like “wow, Bob Dylan’s coming!  Mr. Tanbourine Man!  Always loved that guy!” I could see you being terribly disappointed by that show.

 

As for me, I have said this elsewhere and I stand by it. 

 

Said comment made about the Outside or Earthling era, at my best estimate.